The True Way To Cut The Deficit

In the truest sense of putting your money where your mouth is, the township of Jefferson, Pa., just turned down a federal-government housing grant in hopes of reducing the U.S. budget deficit.

Even as most people scratch their heads and fume about the nation's ever-mounting deficit, those same people salivate over federal dollars for new roads, airports, hospitals, whatever.

In contrast to the money-grubbing style so prevalent today, the folks in Jefferson said they thought it would be wrong to spend the community-development grant on unnecessary things.

The gesture of the Jefferson supervisors will hardly move even a decimal point in our $300 billion deficit. And their example could never be expected to catch on in the competition over federal dollars.

Still, how refreshing it is to see a local government act selflessly. Let's just hope none of the homes in Jefferson needed those Housing and Urban Development dollars.